The King's Appeal
The King's Appeal was the introductory short story from the original King's Quest releases on the IBM PCJR, etc (1984). A new and expanded version of the story was included in the 1987 re-release (see KQ1 Manual). Also included in this article is the section from the manual, "Helpful and Dangerous Creatures." The King's Appeal In the kingdom of Daventry, King Edward is dying. Although his kingdom had been wealthy in the past, recent disasters have brought hardship to his loyal subjects. To make matters worse, the king has no wife, children, or relatives to inherit the throne. Unless the king's quest is fulfilled, the country will be doomed. King Edward calls his bravest knight, Sir Grahame, to the throne. The noble knight bows before the king and asks, "Your Royal Highness, what may I do for you?" The weakened king answers, "Sir Grahame, Daventry is now a poor country desperately in need of help to overcome its misfortunes. Recently, I have heard tales of three magical objects that would end Daventry's troubles. I am an old man, Sir Grahame, and my death is near. I am depending on you to search the countryside and find three objects. If you do, the throne will be yours." Sir Grahame eagerly questions the king, "Please, Your Majesty, what are these objects?" King Edward wearily looks at the knight and says "You need to find a jewel-inlaid treasure chest that refills with gold coins every time it is emptied. Also, an enchanted mirror exists revealing the future to the beholder. Finally, there is a magic shield that fends off all enemies. With these objects, Daventry will never be poor again!" The knight declares, "Nothing would give me more pleasure, my King, than to capture these items. Where do I start?" "That, Sir Grahame, is what you must find out. I only know they are in the kingdom of Daventry and are guarded by dangerous characters. It's an extremely risky task that could be fatal. Go now, Sir Grahame but be careful. Please do not fail me or your kingdom." Quietly, Sir Grahame leaves the room and hurries down the hallway of the Royal Palace. "A jewel-inlaid treasure chest, an enchanted mirror, and a magic shield," he murmurs, "but where to find them?" Sir Grahame promises himself that he will not return to the king until has found the magical objects. With determination, he leaves the castle and begins the quest. Helpful and Dangerous Creatures Dangerous creatures roam the mystical land of Daventry, trying to end your quest. Fortunately, a few kindly characters try to help you. You can avoid the dangerous characters in several ways by finding out their weaknesses. The Dangerous Characters You must think and act quickly when you meet the dangerous characters of Daventry. The dangerous characters include a sorcerer, dwarfs, ogres, a hungry wolf, and an airborne wicked witch. Helpful characters Helpful characters in the kingdom want to aid you in your quest. You must take advantage of their help to successfully complete your quest. Some of these characters include an elf, a fairy godmother, and a large condor. Take on the challenge! Find the magic treasure. Put on your armour -- and your thinking cap -- as you search the countryside... in the days when knights were bold and brave. Behind the scenes Edward's introduction in the original KQ1 fits closer with the The King's Appeal rather than the later manual. Category:Books Category:Prologues Category:Short stories Category:KQ1AGI Category:Original Canon (articles and stories)